MINSK, 11 June (BelTA) – Yekaterina Goncharenok, Deputy Director of the Tourism Department of the Belarusian Sports and Tourism Ministry, told BelTA’s Nation Speaks project where foreign tourists come from and what they want to see in Belarus.
Most of foreign tourists are Russians (80%). “Last year, we had 6.6 million arrivals. In addition to Russian nationals, there are tourists from other CIS countries. The number of tourists from the People's Republic of China is on the up and up, which is largely attributed to the increase in the number of flights from China. Flights have been launched not only to China’s Urumqi, but also to Xi'an, which is a stop along the Beijing - Xi'an - Minsk route,” Yekaterina Goncharenok said.
Head of the Information Support Department of the National Tourism Agency Yekaterina Alekseyeva added that the agency, together with the regions, organizes familiarization tours for foreigners, including for citizens of China and the UAE. “We have recently hosted a delegation from the North Caucasus. We introduce foreign delegations to the most popular tourist attractions, primarily the UNESCO sites – the castles in Mir and Nesvizh; we often take them to Belovezhskaya Pushcha, but at the end of the day, everything depends on tourists’ preferences,” she said.
Vacationers interested in spa treatment are introduced to spa services available in the country. Industrial tourism is experiencing a boom in Belarus. If foreign visitors are interested in this type of tourism, they are definitely taken to MTZ, BelAZ, Kommunarka.
